Celebrity chef to return to cricket ground with major match day menu

Celebrity and Michelin-star chef Glynn Purnell will return to Edgbaston Stadium this summer, with a new hospitality menu for the stadium’s Major Match Day calendar.

Purnell has been re-appointed to lead on menu creation and delivery of the three-course meal in the stadium’s Warwickshire Suite for the England v Pakistan Men’s IT20, England v West Indies Men’s Test Match and the Vitality Blast T20 Finals Day.

He will be in the Warwickshire Suite kitchens each day with his chefs who will work alongside Edgbaston’s own culinary team.

The 49-year-old from Solihull is well known in Birmingham for Michelin-starred Purnell’s Restaurant and for his TV appearances on The Great British Food Revival, The Secret Chef, and Saturday Kitchen.

He said: “I’m excited to be back at Edgbaston for a second season. To experience the wonderful atmosphere, hospitality and to be a part of what is going to be an amazing experience. Great cricket, great food and great service, I’m sure we’ll knock it out the park.”

Edgbaston Operations Director Claire Daniel said Purnell would be warmly welcomed back in the Warwickshire Suite after a memorable debut in 2023.

Daniel added: “It’s fantastic to have someone like Glynn on board again. He personally leads on the menu and is here on every one of those Major Match Days. It’s not a case of him just lending his name to the occasion: he plays a very hands-on role and likes to meet the guests.

“Last year he came out of the kitchen at the end of service to chat to diners and get their feedback on the menu. I don’t think there was a single person who wasn’t blown away by the quality and creativity of the dishes.”

The IT20 against Pakistan is on Saturday 25 May, West Indies come to Edgbaston for the Test from Friday 26 July to Tuesday 30 July, while Blast Finals Day is set for Saturday 14 September.

Mike Foster, head of partnerships at Keith Prowse – official hospitality partner at Edgbaston – said: “Innovation and customer service are at the heart of what we do. Food is at the heart of that and we want to make it memorable.

“Glynn’s presence in the Warwickshire Suite elevates what is already an exceptional day out and we look forward to seeing his Major Match Day menus evolve over the coming months.”